Where can you sell survey data in Starfield? As you explore the galaxy, you should be whipping out your scanner at every possible opportunity to investigate fauna, flora, and resources. All of this data can be sold for precious credits, incentivising you to go out and keep scanning. But where can you sell the survey data?
There are over 1000 Starfield planets, and all of them have valuable survey data. However, it’s not until you’re well embedded with Starfield Constellation, the main Starfield faction, that you can sell that data for the best price. Here’s what you need to know about where to sell survey data in Starfield.
How to sell survey data in Starfield
To sell survey data in Starfield, you should speak with Vladimir in The Eye. You can tell him you have survey data available, then sell it via a standard store menu.
It’s worth noting that the Trade Authority will also buy survey data off you – and you can reach them much earlier in the game, via the kiosk at the Starfield New Atlantis spaceport, but they don’t offer as many credits. Vladimir has the best rates.
One key thing to mention is that you cannot sell survey data until you have scanned everything on a specific planet. That includes all fauna, flora, resources, and planetary traits. Once complete, the survey slate for that planet will go into the miscellaneous section of your inventory. Head off to The Eye to get the most bang for your buck with Vladimir.
How survey data works in Starfield
So we’ve already explained that you need to scan everything on a planet before you can sell the survey data, but what does that actually entail?
Before you land on a planet, head to the map screen and scan the whole planet. If you’re scanning a gas giant or other inhospitable, this is all you need to do to obtain the survey data, because you cannot land. However, if it is a planet you can land on, you’ll then want to pick a landing spot.
When you’re planetside, press F to get the scanner out. Anything natural with a blue outline can be scanned, but you’ll need to scan all flora and fauna multiple times until each one reaches 100%%. When you’ve completed one, the blue outline will turn green in the scanner view.
On planets full of life, you may struggle to find some remaining flora and fauna that requires scanning. Check your totals – if it says “biome complete” next to any categories, then you’ll find the remaining targets to scan elsewhere on the planet, which will likely require taking off and landing again in a different biome. You can check the biome before you land via the map screen.
When it comes to planetary traits, these are obtained by finding an unexplored geographical or biological feature. When you land on a planet, bring up your scanner and look for some unknown waypoints in the distance. Anything marked as ‘life signs’ or ‘natural’ can be one of these features – scan anything blue within and you’ll identify the planetary traits. For example, in my game, I found Psychotropic Biota on the moon Montara Luna through a fungal growth on the surface of the planet.
I’d also recommend investing some Starfield skills points into Surveying, as you obtain a zoom function on the scanner and each level of the skill allows you to scan targets from further away. A huge help when it comes to flying or hostile beasts. There’s also the Zoology skill on the next tier of Science, which allows you to harvest organic resources without harming the creature, and you’ll learn more info about them from your scans.
That’s all you need to know about where to sell survey data, and how scanning works in Starfield. Make sure you’re clued up on all the main Starfield cities in the game, so you know where to go to find some new quests, along with the different Starfield houses you can own throughout the galaxy.
Still looking for more? While a good Starfield wiki can be a handy source of information, our new Starfield Database goes further, offering you daily news, searchable databanks, and even interactive tools.